Train-operated crossing-signal



TRAIN OPERATED CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY HD1970.

Patented Oct. 19, 1921i.

2 $HEEISSHEE 2- UNITED STATES GEORGE L. SAWYER, or roar MYERS, FLORIDA.

BRAIN-OPERATED CROSSING-SIGNAL.

Application filed July 17, 1920. Serial No. 396,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen L. SAWYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Myers, in the county of Lee and State of Florida, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-OperatedCrossing-Signals, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to crossing signals, and particularly to thatparticular variety of crossing signal wherein a target or semaphore isdisposed at the crossing, which target or semaphore is automaticallylowered upon the approach of a train to a danger position and raisedwhen the train has passed the crossing. V p

The general object of my invention is to provide a very simple, safe,and readily operated mechanism of th1s character wherelnv the semaphoreis held in its raised position by a latch, which latch is released 'uponthe approach of a train in either direction toward the crossing,'thesignal then falling under its own weightto its danger indicat-' ingposltion and wherein the tram, after-the locomotive has passedthe'crossing, lifts the signal to its safety position, whereupon thesignal is again engaged by the latch and held raised. H i

A further object is to-provide a mechanism of this kind which is verysimple, which may be easily put in place, and which will not be liableto get out of order.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the panying drawings, wherein p Figure 1is a plan view of a railroad crossing showing my signal applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view across the track transversely ofthe rails,

showing the signal actuating arm;.

, Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary plan view showing the member on the pilotofthelocomo tive for engaging the signal actuating arm; Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the signal semaphore or gatein its lowered-position;

Fig. 5 is a like view to Fig. 4:, but showing the supports in sectionand showing the bolt mechanism for holding the semaphore raised. 1

Referring to these drawings, A designates a railway track laid on theusual tiesand comprising the rails aa. Disposedbeside the track andadjacent the crossing is a supaccom- Specification of Letters Patent.Patent 51001;, 19, 1920,

porting post 10 having pivoted to it the semaphore or signal arm 11,this arm ex tending beyond its pivotal point12,'as at 13, andthisextension operating-between guides 14:. The weight of this arm 11normally urges it to a horizontal or danger indicating position.Disposed at the lower end of the guides 14: is a bolt or latch 15, theextremity of which is preferably beveled, this latch being disposed in ahousing 16 and being urged upward by a spring-17 so as to engage overthe beveled extremity .18 of the extension 13 and normallyhold thedanger signal in a raised position. This danger signal 11 maybe disposedat any desired height from the ground and may either act as a simplesignal or to impede the traflic across the crossing. 1

For the purpose of raising the signal from its danger or loweredposition to itsraised or safety position, I provide a cable 19 whichextends downward from the extension 13,

passes .undera pulley 20, and extends along the right hand side of thetrack beneath suitable blocks or rollers 21 and preferably through apipe 22, especially at the crossing itself, this wire cable beingconnected to a horizontally shiftable arm 23 mounted upon a support 24;disposed beside the track and any suitable distance from the support.10;

beneath the rails a, or may be disposed in suitable tubes, and extendsover a pulley 27 and is then attached to an actuating arm 28 pivotallymounted upon a support 29, this arm 28 corresponding to the arm 23.These arms 23 and 28 are-beveled at their extremities. l

Assuming that the semaphore 1 1 is lowered, then when the arm 23isstruckby a train passing towardtheleft in Fig. 6, the

arm 23 will be rotated to draw the rear end 13 of the danger signaldownward until its extremity 18 is engaged and held by the latch bolt15. A train coming from the left the same manner.

. upon the approach of a train in either direction, I provide some 300yards or more from the support 10 a post 30, upon which is mounted ahorizontally swinging arm 31 urged to a normal position by a spring 32,

and connected to this arm is a wire cable 33 which passes throughsuitable blocks 3 1 disposed at intervals along the track and beneaththe block 35 to the lower end of the latch bolt 15 with which itengages. Also attached to the lower end of this latch bolt 15 is a cable36 extending transversely across the trackbeneath the rails a andpreferably disposed within a tube, which cable passes over a pulley 37and then extends in the left hand direction along the track, passingbeneath suitable guide pulleys and is eventually attached to an arm 38,precisely like the arm 31, mounted upon a post 39 and urged to a normalposition by a spring 40.

Now upon the approach of a train from the right in Fig. 1, the train, bymeans of the attachment mounted thereon as will be hereafter described,will strike the arm 31 and rotate this arm, which will cause the cable33 to be pulled, thus retracting the spring latch 15 from its engagementwith the extremity 18 of the signal or semaphore, the arm allowing thesemaphore to drop to its danger position by the action of gravity. Thesame thing occurs on the approach of a train from the left in Fig. 1,when the attachment on the train will strike the arm 38, thus retractingthe cable 36 and the latch bolt 15, permitting the semaphore to drop. Itwill be seen that this semaphore will drop when the train is still some300 yards or more from the crossing. When the locomotive has passed thecrossing, it will strike the arm 23 or the arm 28, depending upon thedirection in which the train is moving, and this will again raise thedanger signal or semaphore 11 to its safety position and latch it inthis safety position by the latch 15. It will be understood, of course,that the several blocks, pulleys or rollers 37, 34: and 21, over whichthe several cables pass, are to be blocks or pulleys such as are used inma rine railways and having relatively deep grooves in'which the cablesoperate. These cables will be preferably wire cables and will have adiameter of about it. These cables are relatively light, whilewithstanding a very great strain. not wish to be limited to theparticular manner in which the cables are mounted, as the cables mightpass between two pulleys or rollers and the cables might pass throughtubes along their entire extent.

. In order to actuate the trip arms 31 and 38 and the lifting arms 23and 28, I mount upon the pilot of the locomotive or in any othersuitable position, thecross head 41 and hinge to this cross head atripping member Of course, I do' 42, which, when in position, projectslaterally beyond the cross head 41 and into position to engage theseveral arms 23, 28, 31 and 38. This trip member 42 is hinged, as at 43,so as to permit a train to back without affecting the trip arms.

The operation of this mechanism will be obvious from what has gonebefore. As a train approaches the crossing and arrives within, say threeor four hundred yards of the crossing, the bolt or latch 15 will be rtracted, causing the signal 11 to fall to its danger position. When thetrain has passed the crossing any desired distance, it willautomatically cause the lifting of the danger signal or semaphore to itssafety position. The device willoperate with a single track road withtrains coming in either direction, and it also may be operated obviouslyfor a double track road without departing from the spirit of theinvention. This signaling mechanism is so designed that it may be usedat crossings in deep cuts and like places where it is impossible toobserve the approach of a train until the train has reached the crossingitself. The use of this mecha' nism will obviate the many accidentswhich occur at railroad crossings where no fiagman is on duty and wherevehicles approaching the crossing pass onto the tracks the very timethat a train is approaching.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangementofparts, yet I do not wish to be limited thereto, as it is obvious thatmany changes might be made in these details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A crossing signal of the character de-- scribed comprising asupport, a semaphore pivotally mounted on'the support, a latch adaptedto engage the semaphore and hold it in a raised or safety position, thesemaphore dropping by its own weight to a .danger position when thelatch is released, train actuated means for releasing the latchcomprising a supporting member, an arm mounted thereon designed to bestruck by a train, a cable connecting the arm to the latch, trainactuated means for raising the arm to a safety position after it hasfallen to a danger position comprising a supporting member disposedbeyond the crossing, an oscillatable arm adapted to be struck by atrain, and a cable operatively connecting the oscillatably mounted armto the semaphore.

2. A crossing signal comprising a vertical support disposed beside thetrack and adjacent thecrossing and having an extension beyond thepivotal axis of the semaphore, a vertical guide in which said extensionmoves, a spring actuated latch disposed at the lower end of the verticalguide and adapted to engage the rear end of the semaphore arm when thearm is raised to hold it in its raised position, train actuated latchtripping devices disposed at a distance along the track in oppositedirections from the crossing, one of said devices being disposed on oneside of the track and the other on the other side, each of said devicescompris-v inga support, a train actuated arm mounted upon said supportfor movement in a horizontal plane, a spring urging the arm to a normalposition, a cable operatively connected to the arm and extending alongthe track and operatively connected to the latch bolt, there beingactuating means for said cable disposed along the side of the track,train actuated means for raising the signal to its safety positiondisposed on each side of the crossing, each of said means comprising asupporting member, an arm horizontally oscillatable on the supportingmemher, and a cable connected to said arm and operatively connected tothe extension of the semaphore, there being guiding means over whichsaid cable passes.

3. The combination with a railway track, of a crosslng signal comprisinga vertical support, a semaphore arm pivoted in said support, a springactuated latch normally I holding said arm in a raised or safetyposition, latch tripping devices mounted at a distance from thesemaphore on each side of the track and each comprising a horieach ofsaid arms to said semaphore arm,

there being guides over which said cable passes, means carried by thetrain for actuating said arms comprising a cross bar mounted upon thetrain, an actuating member hingedly mounted on said cross bar andnormally projected beyond the cross bar to engage. said arms, saidactuating member being hingedly mounted on the cross bar to i be heldrigidly from rotation in one direc tion but permitting rotation in theother direction when the train is backing and said actuating memberstrikes-any one of said arms.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

GEORGE L. SAWYER.

